By CHRISTEL ALLISON
When I think of a treasure, I never imagine it can be so obviously placed, but, in the heart of uptown Waterloo, there is one.
Beertown Public House, located at Waterloo Town Square, 75 King St. S., is one of the Charcoal Group of restaurants. With over 100 beers to choose from, Beertown provides a unique experience.
The lights are dim when you walk in, and music is playing noticeably in the background, but not loud enough to make you want to go back home. The floors are wood which complement the glazed wooden tables and chairs. There’s something relaxing yet engaging about the environment.
Contrary to the name, the menu is not saturated with beer-infused meals which I thought was a plus because I’m not a beer drinker.
I skipped appetizers and went straight for the Ultimate Mac + Cheese ($17.49) because it was under the house favourites and they tagged it ultimate. I was intrigued to find out if it would live up to that. I find that restaurants shy away from adding mac and cheese to their menu. Maybe this is because the recipe can’t be perfected for a large group of people. However, in addition to using the word ultimate, Beertown dared to add ingredients like roasted chicken, house-smoked bacon, wild mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, gruyère and parmesan cheese sauce, fresh parsley and panko.
Some of the other items on the menu are an 18-hour smoked brisket platter, pork schnitzel, fish and chips, taco trio and Beertown pad thai. Regardless of how fancy the names sound, they are all under $20.
When the meal arrived, I could smell the smoked bacon and see the layers of cheese. After I had a taste of it, I could understand why they were confident enough to use the word ultimate. It was just that.
I opted for a glass of strawberry daiquiri because, of course it was ideal to do that in Beertown. It came in a Collins glass garnished with a whole strawberry and a quarter of a lime. The test of good strawberry daiquiris is always in how tangy or overwhelming the taste of strawberry is. This glass, however, passed the test. It had a delectably sweet and tangy taste.
Beertown is worth the visit if you’re looking for the feel of an upscale sports bar with an intimate setting and well-thought-out menu options.
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